Containers worth millions are being moved into the city

If you are going to Ilulissat in the future to study or take a course, there is a chance that you will be accommodated in residential containers.

Avannaata Kommunia has purchased residential containers from the Munck Group, which has built the new airport near the city. The containers cost 10,027,000 kroner, the municipality writes to Sermitsiaq.

The containers are now visible in the cityscape, as a row of them has been moved from the airport and onto the old football field in Ilulissat itself.

Used for accommodation

The purchase of the containers was approved by the municipal council at a meeting on November 21 last year.

The containers were used to accommodate employees during Munck's airport construction in Ilulissat, and they were also used as a restaurant, kitchen and offices. They are no longer in use, but they will remain in the city.

- The purpose is for the containers to be used as dormitories for students. But they are also suitable for course participants who will be staying in the city for a longer period, the municipality writes.

Sermitsiaq would otherwise have interviewed the mayor of Avannaata Municipality, Lars Erik Gabrielsen (S), about the matter, but employees in the municipality instead responded to Sermitsiaq in writing.

Fire has triggered an insurance case

Just after New Year's, there was a fire in the containers, when they were still standing outside at the airport. Therefore, several containers cannot be used due to fire damage, the municipality informs.

This concerns 17 containers that were used as offices, and 12 containers that were used as a canteen and kitchen, all of which were affected by the fire.

The municipality informs that a case is ongoing about these with the insurance company. The remaining containers that have not burned total 73. Work is underway to use them as housing.

The location is not yet ready

The containers will be located on Paulus Kristensen's Road in Ilulissat. However, the foundation site has not yet been prepared. Therefore, some of the containers that will be used as housing are temporarily located on the former football field in Ilulissat.

- Until the future foundation is finished, the old football field will be used temporarily, writes the municipality.

The municipality does not yet know when the site will be finished. Therefore, it is not known when the containers can be used.

Municipality: Building regulations will be followed

It is not common to use containers as permanent housing. If the containers are to be used as housing, it will be in accordance with building regulations, the municipality says:

- As with other construction projects, building regulations must be followed, the municipality writes.